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3 Observations and generalizations 1.Clitic pronouns on the first verb > first verb as the matrix verb 2.The first verb can be inflected for either AF or NAF, while the second verb can only be inflected for AF > (i) The second verb as dependent (ii) Syntax-semantic mismatch: semantic argument of the embedded verb as matrix subject

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5 The mismatches are not restricted to SVCs: Also found in Paiwan (3)a. ku- acuvung a ma-sengseng a kava 1S.GEN-finish LNKAF-make NOM clothes I have finished making my clothes. b. ku-g alu a k im a hung 2S.GEN-slow LNK search NOM book I searched the book slowly. (Wu 2005)

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13 My proposal Verb sequences in question as complex predicates – two verbs act as a single predicate Complex predicates as argument structure merger (Rosen 1990) Argument sharing provides the basis for the merger As head of the clause, the first verb attract the major grammatical markers such as TAM and bound pronouns.

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19 Evidence for event-as-argument: Ambient serialization in Paamese (12)a.ko-muasi-e 0-vaa-hise 2S:REAL-hit-3S 3S:REAL-MULT-how many How many times did you hit him? b.ni-muasi-e he-haa-relu 1S:FUT-do-3S 3S:FUT-MULT-three I will do it three times. (Crowley 2002:81)

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26 Acknowledgements Acadmia Sinica and NSC for financial support Informants for providing linguistic data Isabelle Bril for sharing her ideas with me Students at my Formosan syntax seminar at Tsing Hua for discussions of various relevant issues with me